thunderbolt



Patented Sept. 6, |898.

E. THUNDERBOLT. GUVERNUR FUR ENGINES.

(Appliation led Apr. 10, 1897.)

fNu Model.)

(No Model.)

Patented Sept. 6, |898.

E. THUNDEHBOLT. GOVERNOR FOR ENGINES.

(Appuation med Apr. 1o, 1897.;

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Mm/WM@ TH: Noam: PETERS co.. Hom-ump., wAsHmnToN.'u. c.

-ltlNrrn-T-Arns PATENT EDWARD TI-IUNDERBOLT, OF CARLTON, VICTORIA.

GOVERNOR FOR ENGINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters `Patent No. 610,250, dated September 6, 898.

Application filed pril l0, 189% Serial No. 631,579. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be itknown that LEDWARD THUNDERBOLT, engineer, a subject of the Queen of Great Brit-ain, residing at Drummond street, Carlton, in the Colony of Victoria, but at present residing at 158 Woodlands road,GlasgoW, Scotland, have invented an Improved Governor for Engines, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a quick and smoothly acting governor spe-H' cially applicable for use in controlling the speed of marine engines, land engines, steam or Water turbines, and other motive-power engines by regulating the supply of motiveA erning or controlling cylinder connected with the said air-pump. Fig. 3 shows an electrical oontrivan'ce for regulating the air-pressure upon the piston in the said governing or controlling cylinder. Figllshows a modiiication of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 shows a modification ofthe arrangement shown in Figf, in which a mechanical device is used in place of the electrical as shown in that figure.

In the drawings, A represents one of the cylinders of a pair of air-pumps, the piston O of which is operated by means of a piston-rod O and connecting-rod O3 from a crank-shaft C, set in motion by a pulley-Wheel E, xed

thereon'and placed incommunication, by a i belt,pitchchain,.or otherwise, With the shaft of the engine the speed ofwhich is to be regulated. This pulley-Wheelmay be in the form of a spur or sprocket Wheel, or it may be in the form of a compound Wheel-that is, having its central portion groov'ed out to form a rope or belt pulley, the periphery of the Wheel on one side of such groove being in the form of a spur or cog Wheel and on the other side in the form oi' a chain sprocket-Wheel,I so that with such a Wheel the means of communicating motion from the engine to the pumps installation. vby a pipe O to a pressure-regulating device,

`:with my governor.

tric -light installation. trolling device consists of a rigid frame P,

which `may be most convenient may be used Without alt-eration or addition4 thereto. I employ pumps with short strokes and large ,diameters in preference to long "strokes and I small diameters.

speed of Which is to be regulatedybut if a shorter stroke be required it may be driven by an eccentric placed upon the main shaft or by any suitable arrangement of levers or otherwise. The air from the air-pumps flows by a pipe K 'to the governing-cylinder L. `M is a piston having a rod M Within such cylinder, which is encircled by a spiral spring N under compression, said spring being arranged to keep forwardthe piston in the cylinder until the pressure of suchspring is overcome by `the force of air entering by the pipe K acting on the front area of said pistonM. The piston-rod M may, if the design of the engine permit, enter into the packing-glands of a shut-0H valve placed in the steam-pipe of the engine, or if the governor has, owing to local peculiarities, `to be placed at any considerable distance from the steam-pipe lthe piston-rod M' of the governing-cylinder may have attached to it connecting links, levers, dto., to

operate any suitable kind of regulating-valve placed in the motive-fluid passage of the engine or motor or for operating brake-gear or a switch-lever in connection With an electric This cylinder L is connected which, in some cases, is used in connection O2 shows a safety-valve set in this pipe.

Fig. 3 illustrates the apparatus employed V.in connection With the governor When same is required to control the speed of dynamos through the medium of the engine of an elec- This pressure conwhich supports the pipe or passage O which is in communication With the pipe K; This 'passage has an escape port or ports O,"\`Which is or are triangular in for1n,a nd said pipe terminates Withi-ua cylindrical boX1Q`, 'which forms a slide-valve. f This valve is supported upon a screwed rod Q', and the amount of IOO opening of the triangular port O is controlled by the said valve, which slides with its rod Q. The movement of this rod, and consequently the escape of air through the port O, is controlled by a lever R, which has a fulcrum-standard R arranged to slide at its top upon the fixed beam P and at its lower end along the lever R. The sliding standard R is secured in the desired position on the lever and fixed beam by means of thumbscrews R2 R3. The lever R turns upon pins R5, which are set in the bifurcated end of the standard R and bear against the sleeve R4. The lever R has adj ust-ably connected thereto a magnet-core S, which is connected by a universal joint at S' to a screw-rod S2. The height of such core is adjusted by the thumbscrew S3. The core S is arranged to depend partially into a coil S4. This coil is supported upon a base-plate S5, which carries the terminals S6 S3, to which the wires from the general circuit or shunt of the dynamo are connected. The coil S4 is provided with a magnetic plug S7, which assists to attract the core S, and can be adjusted toward or away from the said core by screwing it upward or downward in the base-plate.

The lever R has a safety appliance conneeted therewith, which will automatically act to operate the lever R, rod Q, and valve Q, so as to close the port O and prevent the escape of air from the pumps and so increase the pressure upon the piston M within the cylinder L and force said piston forward and close or shut oif the steam to the motor-engine. This safety appliance consists of a spring T, which is adj ustably secured to the lever R by a screw-rod and thumb-screws. The opposite end of the spring is secured to a slotted frame T. A pin or hook T2 is. arranged to project into the slot of this frame and so support the levery throughthe medium of the spring. This hook is pivoted at the end of the fixed beam P and has a projecting arm T3. A vertical rod T4 is adjustably secured to the lever R and is arranged to engage with the projecting arm T3, its distance from such arm being adjustable by the thumbscrews T5. The opposite end R6 of the lever R is bifurcated, a branch of the fork passing at either side of the rod Q and between the nuts or thu rnb-screws Q3 and Q4. The bifurcated end of the lever may thus be adj usted at the required height on the rod Q by screwing the nuts Q3 and Q4 to the desired posi.-

tions on the guide-rod.

P is an arm projecting from the frame P and through which the lower end of the rod Q passes.

P2 is a set-screw which can be screwed tightly aga-inst the rod Q', so as to lock same when required-as, for example, when notv under control of the lever R.

Another device for locking the rod Q in position and limiting the travel thereof consists of a screwed pin P3, screwed into the guide-arm P and provided with a head P4 and adjustable nut P5. This pin P3 and the nut P5 on it can be so adj usted that the nuts Q3 Q4 are held between the head P4 and the nut P5, so that the rod Q cannotmove up or down beyond the required predetermined range.

By locking the rod Q with the port O partially open the appliance may be employed to control any desired uniform speed in motors or engines generally.

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 4 the lever R is dispensed with and the core S of the electromagnet or solenoid is connected directly with the rod Q, that actuates the valve Q. In this case the weight of the valve Q, rod Q, and core S is balanced by a spring Q5, the upper end of which bears against the adj ustable nut Q4 and the lower end against the arm P. The spring Q6 serves for adjusting minutely the action and stroke of the spring Q5 and valve Q. As in this arrangement the lever R is dispensed with and the closing of the port O has to be effected bythe downward movement of thecore S and valve Q,the position of the port O is reversed and thel closing is effected by the upper edge of a slot Q7, formed in the side of the valve Q.

Fig. 5 shows the pressure-controlling device designed particularly for use in marine engines and arranged in such a manner that it may be adjusted so as to obtain efficient action under altered conditions-such as when a vessel is traveling against a head sea, through a beam sea, or with a following sea.

`In such arrangement the appliance consists `of the following: A cylinder U is in communication by the pipe K with the air-pumps.

1A slide-valve U is set within such cylinder spring U4 encircling it, which keeps the said valve in its forward position that is to say, toward the left in the iigure-until overcome by the air-pressure from the pumps. U5 are stops to limit the travel in either direction of the said valve. The pipe U2 has a port UG of triangular form, the amount of opening of said port being regulated .by an adjustable plug U7. This plug is connected by a rod U9 to the plug thumb-screw U10, which screws into the open end of the pipe U2. U3 shows an opening for the exhaust-air when the valve Ul is in its forward position. This contrivance is employed on marine engines when vessels provided with the governor are traveling through beam or with following seas; but when the vessel is traveling against a head sea an appliance having parts similar to those described in connection with my electric contrivances is employed. This consists of the branch pipe O3, which is in communication with the cylinder U, and has a triangular escape-port O, the opening of which is controlled by a slide-valve Q in a manner IIO similar to that already described -in connection with the electrical appliances, Figs. 3 and 4. A sliding fulcrum is employed similar to that described and marked R to R5, Figs 3 and 4. It has the addition of a hanging rod W, which is suspended from the lever R and has a weighted ball W'. i This rod W is arranged to slide on the lever with the sliding fulcrum-standard R', so as to decrease or increase the range of travel of the bifurcated end of the lever R, and consequently the motion of the slide-valve Q. The ball Wis vertically adjusted upon the screw portion of its rod by thenut W2. The ball and rod form a pendulum which will oscillate with the motion of the vessel and so move the bifurcated end of the lever up and down, thus operating the rod Q' and valve Q, so as to open or close the escape-port O'." The oscillating motion of the pendulum will thus control the air-pressure upon the piston M in the governing-cylinder L and cause it to act upon the throttle-valve lever, so as to anticipate and prevent any racing of the engine and propeller during the pitching motion of the vessel when traveling against a head sea.

The modus operandi of the invention is as follows: Assuming the governor to be employed to control the engine or motor of an electric-lighting plant, the pressure-controlling device illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 would be employed and connected with the governor. The air-pumps, which receive their motion from the engine the speed of which is to be regulated, will take in a supply of air and discharge same into the pipe or passage K,

` and thence to the governing-cylinder L. The

amount of escape of air through the port O', and consequent pressure of the air upon the piston M, is controlled by the increase or decrease of the amount of load or number of lights in the system. For instance, if a number of lights in the circuit be suddenly switched on a decrease of current will pass through the solenoid-coil S'hand consequently less attractive force will be exerted on the core S, thus allowing the spring T to act to4 raise one end of the lever, so as to lower the valve Q and open the port O'. An increased escape of air thus takes place through the port O', and consequently a reduced pressure is exerted upon the piston M, which will then move forward owing to the pressure of the spring N, which encircles the rod N', thus actuating the said rod to open the throttle of the engine or motor and cause an increase of speed of such engine, which will be communicated to the dynamos. i With a switching off of lights the reverse action takes place.

If the current be suddenly cut off from the circuit owing to breakage of belting or circuit or any other cause, the safety appliance shown in Fig. 3 will come into operation, so as to prevent the racing away of the engine.

`In such case the pull of the core S is relaxed,

and the spring T causes one end of the lever R to jump up and with it the rod T4,which then strikes arm T3 and releases the hook T2 from the frame T', thus causing that end of the lever R to drop by the force of gravity and so close the port O'. The air-pressure on the piston M is thereby increased and forces the piston M and rod M' back, completely shutting the throttle-valve, so as to stop the engine.

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 4 the spring Q5 and port QS act as a safety appliance in the following way: When the electric current is cut olf and the pull on the core S ceases, the spring Q5 causes the valve Q to rise, and the lower edge of the port Q7 closes the port O', and the engine is stopped by the consequent movement of the piston M.

When my governor is employed on marine engines, the pressure-controlling appliance illustrated in Fig. 5 is employed. lf the vessel is traveling through a beam sea or with a following sea, the port O' will be closed by the valve Q and valve-rod Q', being locked by the set-screw P2 or the locking-pin P3. The air from the pumps will enter the cylinder U by the pipe K, the plug U7 having been previously adjusted to allow the escape through the port U6 of a quantity of air equivalent to that pumped by the air-pumps when working with the engine running at the predetermined maximum speed. As the ports U8 are larger in area than the port U, the air will escape through the former with no tendency to pass up passage Obehind the valve U', and con- IOC) sequently no pressure is exerted on piston M.` 4

The valve U' is at the same time held forward by the spring U4, so as to prevent the passage of air from the cylinder U directly to the pipe O. If the engine be increased beyond suchV governing-cylinder L and pushes the said piston M and its rod backward, so as to completely close the engine throttle-valve connected with the said piston-rod M', and Whenever the engine attempts to race theipiston M in the governing-cylinder L will be imme` diately forced back in such a manner as to close the throttle-valve in the steam-pipe.

The tension of the spring U4 should be adjusted so that the slide-valve U' will resist a greater pressure to the square inch than the spring N in the governing-cylinder L. On the engine returning to a normal speed the slide-valve U' will return forward owing to the reduced air-pressure in the cylinder U, thereby opening the passage from the pipe O to the exhaust-port U8, which allows ofthe escape of air from the cylinder L.` When,

IIO

however, the ship is pitching, as in a head sea, "and the screw comes yout of water, the pendulum W is brought into action and valve Q liberated, so as to be operated by the pendululn, and port U6 is closed by the plug U7, so that no air can pass that way from pipe K. Then so long as the screw remains immersed and the engines run at normal speed all the air pumped by air-pumps escapes through port O; but if the stern of the ship rises so as to lift screw out of water pendulum W closes port O' by valve Q, and as the air cannot then escape at O the pressure immediately rises and acts upon the front end of valve U and plug U7, moving them to the right and opening passage from K to O, but at the same time shutting passage from O to space behind valve U. Air-pressure then moves piston M in cylinder L and shuts throttle-valve. Then when the ship goes down at stern, so as to immerse screw again, the pendulum opens port O by valve Q, reducing pressure on face of valve U and plug U7, and spring U4 moves these toleft, shutting passage from K to O, but opening passage O to space behind valve U', so that air in cylinder L escapes quickly through ports U8, and piston M is moved back by spring N, opening throttle-valve again quickly. By this means no time is lost in getting steam into engines again immediately the screw is sufciently immersed to utilize the power of the engines without their racing.

It will be understood that the action of the governing devices above described is dependent partly upon variations in the supply, by pumps driven at a speed depending upon that of the engine to be governed, of operating fluid to the governing or controlling cylinder and partly upon variations in the area of the outlet for such iuid from the said governing or controlling cylinder, effected in the one case by variations in the electric current and in the other by the fore-andaft inclination of the vessel relatively to a pendulum suspended therein.

The pendulum W may be used alone in connection with valve Q and outlet-port O without the valve U. In that case pipe K communicates direct through pipe O with the controlling cylinder L, and the regulation of speed is dependent upon the variation of the outlet-port O by the action of the pendulum in the following way; Vhen the vessel is on an even keel or down at the stern, so that the propeller is immersed, the valve Q is held or operated by the pendulum W', so that the port O allows all the air pumped by the airpumps to escape through it, and the piston M in the controlling-cylinder L is not moved, and consequently the throttle-valve remains wide open; but when the stern of the vessel rises, so as to take the propeller more or less out of the water, the pendulum WV moves valve Q and closes port O more or less and prevents escape of air that way. The air-pressure then rises and piston M is moved in cylinder L so as to close the throttle-Valve more or less. Then when the stern of the vessel falls again the pendulum IV moves valve Q proper speed, as the propeller becomes againv immersed. The valve U when used obviates this, because a comparatively small escape of air at O/ enables the valve U to move sufficiently to the left to expose a comparatively large opening behind it to passage O, so that the air in the cylinder L escapes rapidly through such openings into annular space around U2 and then through ports U8 into the atmosphere, enabling spring N to force piston M toward the bottom of the cylinder L and to open the throttle-valve quickly and before there has been time for the air to escape at O.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I desire to have it understood that I am aware that it is not novel to employ as a governing device for motive-power engines an air or other pump, a controlling-cylinder connected with the said pump, a piston in such controlling-cylinder connected with the throttle-valve of the engine, and a valve controlling the outlet from the controlling-cylinder, and that I do not claim, broadly, such a governing device; that I am also aware that it is not novel to employ an electromagnet for operating at the same time both an inlet and an outlet valve in connection with the controlling-cylinder of such a governing device, and that I do not claim an electromagnetic device acting in that manner, but only an apparatus in which the electromagnet operates the outlet-valve alone, because I have found that better results can be obtained by leaving the area of the inlet-opening to the controlling-cylinder unaltered by variations in the electric current after the said inletopenin g has once been properly proportioned, and by varying the area of the outlet-opening only by variations in the electric current; and that I am likewise aware that it is not novel to employ in connection with marine engines a pendulum suspended in the ship and adapted to move the throttle-valve of the engine direct or through the intervention of atmospheric pressure in conjunction with the condenser-vacuum or by admitting steam from the boiler to a relay-cylinder the piston of which acts upon the throttle-valve, and that I do not claim the use of a pendulum in such manner; but that lVhat I do claim is- 1. In a governing device of the kind herein described the combination with the controlling-cylinder of such device and the pump operated by the engine for supplying air to said cylinder, of a pipe or passage O having IOO IIO

Ioy

a port O', a slide-valve Q, a lever R connected With such valve and havin ga slidin g fulcrum, and a controlling device connected to said lever R, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. In a governing device of the kind herein described the combination with the controlling-cylinder, of the pipe or passage O, having port O', the slide-valve for said opening, the lever connected to said slide-valve, means connected to said lever for moving the same to Vary the size of the valve-opening, and the adjustable stops for limiting the movement of the lever, substantially as described.

3. In a governor for marine engines, the

^ combination with the controlling-cylinder of and a fixed beam P, substantially as and for the purpose described. p

5. In a governing device of the kind herein described the combination With the controlling-cylinder of such device and the pump operated from the engine for supplying air to said cylinder, of a pipe or passage O, a port O', a slide-valve Q, a rod Q', a frame I), and a locking-pin P3, with adjustable nut P5, and the controlling device for operating the valve Q, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two Witnesses.

EDWARD THUNDERBOLTL Witnesses:

WILLIAM HENRY BECK, STEPHEN EDWARD GUNYoN. 

